The business of exercise equipment and physical fitness devices is a huge business. Given the relatively sedentary styles of most individuals, the failure to exercise leads to various medical problems and physical ailments. The problems are many and varied, from being overweight to lack of stamina to chronic lower back pain, etc. Thus, there is a strong demand for ways to exercise and maintain physical fitness.
The demand for exercise equipment has resulted in the availability of a plethora of different types of exercise equipment. One particular category consists of exercise equipment designed for those who experience lower back pain. Eighty percent of Americans experience chronic lower back pain during their lifetime. One type of exercise device recommended for dealing with lower back pain is the vertical knee raise machine. Proper use of the vertical knee raise machine can increase abdominal girdle strength. Increasing abdominal girdle strength decreases lower back pain. There are a multitude of exercise devices that fall into the category of a vertical knee raise machine. Typical of a common type of vertical knee raise machine is that depicted in FIG. 1. However, the device depicted in FIG. 1 while it is typical of that found at the local gym or health club is not convenient for home use. If you are in an apartment or home when not in use it cannot be conveniently stored and will take up scarce room.
Another example of a vertical knee raise exercise apparatus designed for the home market is the Marcy Power Tower which includes a large triangular base made by Impex company of Pomona, Calif. While this is a multifunction exercise apparatus that includes a vertical knee raise feature, it takes up a significant amount of space and can not be easily folded or disassembled for storage.
In designing exercise equipment for use in the home, a number of factors come into play in order to make it a completive and useful device. It needs to be able to handle the same loads and stress and strain that gym exercise equipment can handle. However, it must also be light enough for an individual to easily pickup and move. Ideally, it should also be foldable into a compact, storable unit. Finally, the cost must be within a reasonable range for individuals on a moderate income to purchase.
There have been attempts to design a sturdy vertical knee raise machine that can be conveniently stored. US patent application publication number 20110190103 of Nguyen depicts an attempt to create a vertical knee raise machine that can, among other things, be disassembled for storage when not in use. However, it uses a series of knobs that need to be tightened which make it inconvenient and subject to failure. Additionally, assembling and disassembly is tedious and time consuming.
Thus, another necessary feature for a vertical knee raise apparatus for home use is that it can be quickly folded for storage or unfolded for use. Typically, this needs to be less than a minute or so.
No admission is made that any reference cited herein constitutes prior art. Applicant expressly reserves the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinence of any cited documents.